Did you know that the technological solution behind one of the European Commission’s key strategic initiatives is being developed by SFÉRA?

Our analyst Gábor Nagy was a guest on the Openly About Gas podcast, where he explained how the new EU Energy & Raw Materials Platform can help stimulate the market for hydrogen and its derivatives—and gradually also for other strategic commodities such as natural gas and biomethane.

The aim of the EU Energy & Raw Materials Platform is to strengthen energy security, increase competitiveness, and enhance market transparency across the European Union. This flagship European Commission project also has a strong Slovak footprint—SFÉRA’s software specialists are contributing to the development of its IT solution. In last year’s tender organized by the Directorate-General for Energy (DG ENER), SFÉRA was successful as part of a consortium with PwC.

The main objective of the platform is to efficiently connect buyers with suppliers, while also allowing entities from non-EU countries to register. The first mechanism launched focuses on hydrogen and its derivatives.

“In practice, this includes renewable hydrogen, low-carbon hydrogen, and hydrogen at 2% purity, as well as hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia, methanol, and sustainable aviation fuels (eSAF),” explains Gábor Nagy. Within the hydrogen mechanism, 260 projects have submitted offers. The next phase is currently underway, allowing companies to express their interest.

The platform is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026. The second mechanism, currently being finalized by SFÉRA experts, focuses on critical raw materials. “The final mechanism, focused on gas, is currently being designed. It covers natural gas, LNG, and biomethane,” adds Gábor Nagy.

SFÉRA considers its success in the European Commission tender both a significant challenge and a confirmation of its expertise in energy and software development. “It is a major opportunity for us. Cooperation with the client is very positive. The European Commission team is highly knowledgeable and brings the expertise required for the overall system design and development process,” emphasizes Gábor Nagy in the interview.

The discussion was hosted by Richard Kvasňovský, Executive Director of the Slovak Gas and Oil Association (SPNZ). The Openly About Gas podcast focuses on topics related to the gas industry. It is part of the specialized SLOVGAS platform published by SPNZ and is also available in magazine format.

The full interview is available on the following platforms:

Soundcloud

Spotify

Apple Podcasts